The trip to France proved a fruitful one for Ralph Beckett and Rob Hornby on Saturday as Westover proved far too good to secure his second top-level success in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
Last year's Irish Derby winner had put up some excellent performances in defeat already this season having finished runner-up to Equinox in the Sheema Classic at Meydan before filling the same second spot when finding only Emily Upjohn to good in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.
The well-fancied market leader sat handy in third as Tunnes and Malabu Drive, Westover's pacemaker, ensured a good early gallop.
The Juddmonte-owned colt was urged to the head of affairs by Hornby with two furlongs to run. The pair looked to have a fight on their hands approaching the final furlong as Zagrey, who finished behind Westover in Dubai, appeared to be travelling kindly under Christophe Soumillon. However, Westover put his proven stamina to good use and found plenty for pressure, eventually running out a clear-cut two-length winner at the line.
Speaking with Sky Sports Racing, Hornby said: "Winning a Group 1 in these colours is the stuff of dreams.
"I was brought up watching these colours win prestigious races and to be able to do it at Group One level is the highest honour and I'm grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way.
"Ralph has trained this horse so well from two to three and three to four, so to win a Group One at four is so important. These are things you dream of, so when they come true you don't know how to think."
He added: "The pace was really good early on, Dougie [Costello on Malabu Drive] was able to keep it honest the whole way.
"When he dropped the bit, he was able to work into it but funnily enough, once he shut down, he took some stoking up again, so I was keen to get on my bike early. He hit the line strongly and the time matches that.
"This is my third Group 1 for Ralph and fourth overall but it's nearly a year since my last one and they are so important for a jockey."
Beckett said: "Inevitably there was pressure as it was a long time since he won, over a year, and the longer that goes on the harder it gets.
"There was nothing wrong with his two runs this year, he's only had the one blip in the King George. He was great today, and it was a very fast time.
"For so long we had a reputation for training long-distance fillies, so it's important to change the dial, as Angel Bleu has done as well.
"I think we'll either stay at a mile and a half or even have a conversation about going up in trip, because the peloton came to him, but he stretched away in the last half a furlong.
"We'll enjoy today and see what comes next, this was important.
"We'll certainly consider the King George and see how he is closer to the time. There will be a bit of a monkey on the shoulder saying is this a good idea after what happened last year, but we'll see.
"The Arc will be under consideration too; he ran a great race in it last year [sixth] but got stuck in the ground."
Paddy Power cut the winner to 6/1 from 10/1 for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot later this month. Auguste Rodin currently heads the market for Aidan O'Brien.
